Calvert Watkins Livres

Focusing on the origins of over 13,000 words, this dictionary connects them to nearly 1,350 basic roots from Proto-Indo-European, the ancient ancestor of English. An introductory essay by Dr. Calvert Watkins explores the reconstruction of this unwritten language and insights into Proto-Indo-European culture. Additionally, Language and Culture notes enhance the understanding of intriguing roots and their derived vocabulary. This resource is essential for those interested in the historical development of English and its Indo-European heritage.

Fully revised and updated, THE AMERICAN HERITAGE(R) DICTIONARY OF INDO-EUROPEAN ROOTS remains an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the history of English and its place in the Indo-European language family. More than 13,000 words are traced to their origins in Proto-Indo-European, the prehistoric ancestor of English that was spoken before the advent of writing. In Calvert Watkins's skilled hands, Proto-Indo-European language and society are rendered as alive and compelling as they must have been six thousand years ago. His introductory essay shows how words in an unrecorded ancient language can be reconstructed and offers a wealth of fascinating information about Proto-Indo-European culture. The dictionary that follows contains nearly 1,350 reconstructed roots, plus two dozen new "Language and Culture" notes that explore interesting sidelights to the etymologies presented in many entries.